1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to the fields of dentistry and orthodontics, and more particularly, to pliers to be utilized in dental and/or orthodontic procedures.
2. General Background of the Invention
Many types of pliers-type tools are utilized in orthodontic and dental procedures. Some pliers may be utilized to alter the shape, angle, and/or orientation of orthodontic wires. Other pliers may be utilized to for extracting teeth or other oral tissues. Still other pliers may be utilized for cutting oral tissue and/or dental wire.
To date, dental/orthodontic pliers have demonstrated a number of shortcomings. For instance, use of some pliers has resulted in undesired incidence of muscle fatigue in the hands and/or wrists of the user. This may be attributed to the repetitive motions of multiple wire bends or appliance adjustments associated with a number of orthodontic protocols. As another example, some pliers fail to enable a user to successfully provide desired bends, loops, torque, helices, and the like in dental wire. Another drawback of some orthodontic pliers is that they fail to demonstrate desired longevity and/or strength. In this regards, some pliers have been found to undesirably fail/deteriorate under normal usage including rigorous sterilization processes. Yet another drawback of some pliers is that they tend to be difficult to manipulate and/or utilize.